Approval Ratings – Jackie MacMullan

This is another vote while you can, as MacMullan is among the latest round of buyouts at the Globe. It is also rumored that ESPN has been courting her aggressively – but what her role would be is unknown, as she was said to be agreeable to the Globe buyout because she wanted to spend more time with her family.

MacMullan is a UNH graduate, and played four years of basketball at the school. She joined the Globe in 1982, and remained there until 1995 as a general sports reporter with a focus on the Celtics and the NBA. She moved on to Sports Illustrated from 1996 to 2000 before rejoining the Globe as a sports columnist.

Share this:

I’d call her ‘Mrs. Shaughnessy’ for obvious reasons: same hair color, same ‘muck-raking’ haughty and elite attitude. Both love holding grudges, even when they themselves are in the wrong. But as is the custom at the Globe, no one there is ever wrong. We can hope that the departure of MacMullan is followed soon thereafter by the departure of Shaughnessy, who is either #1 or #1A on the list of “Most Hated’ Boston sports media personalities. I think Shaughnessy wears that as a badge of honor, but I don’t think MacMullan does…or did.

b holmes

was never was blown away by anything she wrote or felt there was any originality to her writing.

on the positive side i cannot dispute that she has helped mcdonalds sell millions of hamburgers by inspiring ronalds mcd’s look.

Chris

As an aside, all these ‘dearly-departed’ Boston sports media personalities can’t ALL fit on board the Good Ship ESPN. At some point, the nozzle will have to be shut off on that pipeline between Boston and Bristol. At some point, all these dismissed sports media hacks in Boston will have to realize that being a Wal-Mart door greeter is the best they’re gonna get.

KF

Love her! Great sources, and she writes great articles.

LJ Sandwich

I wouldn’t have had an opinion on this Shim until he/she started making it a habit of dropping negative/controversial stories on the eve of a big Patriots game.

agree with B Holmes on not being blown away with her writing…and on the Ronald McDonald reference!

Tony

I’m indifferent about Jackie.

All in all, her work’s been pretty solid over the years. Nothing spectacular; nothing horrible.

I don’t like the fact that when the Globe made her a general sports columnist she would sometimes use that pulpit to write hit pieces on the Pats…her specialty was finding the disgruntled ex-Patriot player who would launch into an anti-BB/organization diatribe for a few sentences, and “voila!”, she had her story angle.

Even so, those pieces were few and far between. She was by no means the female version of Borges when it came to the Pats.

I’ll give her a lukewarm thumbs up, primarily because as a basketball beat writer she was pretty good.

buttercup

Something has to be said for her ability to drive baseline on every single other member of the Boston media. Although Karen Guregian can palm a basketball.

My understanding is that they both were extras in “Breaking Away” cheering on the “Cutters”

I also know that John Dennis and Steve Buckley text each other, critiquing Jackie and Karen’s wardrobe choices.

Lance

I enjoy her writing – her prose is better than most sportswriters. There can be a bit of a yenta quality to her but for the most part she writes good, interesting articles. She’ll also reply to emails if you ask her about something she wrote. The Globe will miss her.

b holmes

as far as i know she never invited a black teenager to come live with her family. disapprove.

NASCL

I tend to look at the first 80% of her career, not the last 20%.

“Approve!”

Nopointe

I’m going to wait until she’s on the cusp of winning this poll and then I’ll stab her in the back with a venom and bile filed scribbling about her past.

Nopointe

although I must say she really keeps the show moving along, and is a good interviewer

JohnnyApps

I approve but am not overly enthralled by her work. She’s a pretty sterile personality in the Boston media and doesn’t seem to generate much controversy. She writes well but after reading many of and if not all of her pieces I tend to forget about them immediately. Her articles are not though provoking and never leave me thinking more about the subject that she wrote about.
I think Bob Ryan and Dan Shaugnessy (despite the fact that I strong dislike him) are far better columnists.

I disapprove of her appearing on Around The Horn- a terrible show.

Corner Blitz

Jackie Macmullet…..UNH,6’2 205 gangly,awkward post game….tapes to her leg ala Nate Thurmond……if her and Julie Kahn have a swordfight,watch out…..so traumatized a young LJ Sandwich at the urinal in Fenway that he moved to NH….should be beaten like a red-haired stepchild…..writing is pedestrian, as are her opinions…disapprove.

flightjkt

Always considered her one of the few great writers left with the Globe. Back when BGlobe folks could still be heard on WEEI, she was the only person that kept D & C in line.

The story she did on the murder of Jamal Jackson (“Closed Case, Open Wounds”) should be a must-read for anyone interested in how to practice quality journalism.

Jortsfather of Sportsradio

Approved! She was great in Trainspotting and Star Wars as Obi Wan.

Wilson

Approve! I met her years back at “The Fours”. She couldn’t have been more gracious and friendly.

Angy Old Bastard

I give her a DISAPPOVE, loses any credibility she might have had by appearing on that foolish, “Around The Horn” show. Given the chance to “raise the bar” on that show, instead she gets right into the hysterical ranting with Woody Paige and the rest of those fools.

Also loses points for being one of the leaders of the, “RANDY MOSS WILL RUIN THE CHEMISTRY!!” crowd…..and yes, loses more points for the hair. Everytime I see her I get a craving for a “Big Mac”….DISAPPOVE!

Guntfather of SportsRadio

Go make me some organic tempeh and eggs!!!!
ahhhhhh.

fishercat

seems to at least love sports and the personalities.

can be the trojan horse of the globe carrying agendas shank and borges would look ridiculous with. doesn’t pimp wilson farms, the 3-2 kid or corrupt boxing promoters so that’s a plus.

approve

Sluggo

On balance, I voted “approve.”

I do fault her for incomplete reporting of the concussion story. As for the Samuel piece, she simply did what most Globies do – found an agent willing to negotiate through the media. (See also Cafardo, N.)

The timing of the TJ and AS stories – on the day of big games – I lay at the feet of Joe Sullivan, who is presiding over the slow death of The Greatest Sports Section in World History. (cough)

Ian Browne

Jackie MacMullan is one of the truly great people in our business. She is just a nice, sincere person who also happens to be a very talented writer and reporter. I think her personality has had so much to do with her success over the years. Players relate to her and she draws great insight from just about all of the interviews she does. I’ll miss reading her in the Globe, but I’m sure her words will still be around somewhere, if not in a full-time capacity.

Davey

A nice person but an uninspiring writer … won’t be missed … tried to save her wilting career with idiodic ant-Patriots attacks … An affirmative action hire who never improved her skills … Good riddance.

Dick

I hope she starts appearing on the Big Show and decreases Lame Larry Lardbutt’ air time.

KM

I’ve always thought MacMullen wrote better than average — and sometimes extraordinary — features. I’ve never thought of her as from the Shaughnessy mold.

For the fellow who said he never liked anything she wrote, how can you read this article and not find it to be a rare kind of sports journalism, full of appreciation and personal perspective and solid writing?

I think the Globe is a worse off place without the likes of MacMullen. I think those who feel she is a “hatchet artist” are making the kind of point that would come from , well, a hatchet artist.

DTM

Anyone on Around the Horn is disapproved!

Chris M

I approve (barely) based on her past writings. Her story with Ted Johnson should have been titled “How to forward an Agenda, pt1″. She sucks on radio because she keeps stuttering or falling over her words, so I better not hear her on the radio. And don’t get me started about Around the Horn…if Woody Paige could be rated, I surmise he might be lower than Craig Mustard.